Return
by Shenive-chan
Summary: AU Modern Day SasuNaru To be cheated upon by the love of your life with your best friend hurt more than anything else he had gone through in all his 24 years of life. But it was a reality that he could not and would not escape. “Go west, young man!"
1. Go west, young man!

**KYAH! A plot-bunnie kicked me into writing. Now, at most, this might be only three chapters. It'll have a conclusion, don't worry.**

**Now, I don't think Naruto would go totally emo if he was cheated on. I think he'd try to deal with it a bit. Yeah whatever.**

**Dislaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

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**_Chapter 1- Go west, young man_**

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He felt a heave at his heart. A hard intake of breath, at a moment where it seemed he wasn't taking any in. A coldness about him that he had never felt before. And a disillusionment that he wished he had never seen.

All in all, to be cheated upon by the love of your life with your best friend hurt more than anything else he had gone through in all his 24 years of life. But it was a reality that he could not (and would not) escape.

They slept so carelessly, without a hindrance between their bodies other than their own skin. It was almost a beautiful sight, in all its melancholy. Naruto didn't think he could look half as good by Sasuke's side as Sakura did. So with a practiced air no one would ever believe could be enacted from his character, he silently closed the door to his old room (for it was decidedly no longer his) with a soft click of the doorknob. He stood there in the hallway for a good five minutes, staring straight ahead at the white door. There really was nothing going through his mind for the entirety of the time. Then he slowly moved back to the living room where he had dropped his backpack that contained probably the first ever "A" he had gotten in any class. College had been good to his weird logic, and he had hoped to share it with Sasuke. That's why he had been late, in order to have everything prepared in the morning. Of course, not to be.

There at that moment, a sudden rush and a decision. He was number one at surprising people anyways (but Sasuke was currently at a close second...) He remembered that they both a long ways ago set aside some money in times of an emergency. Well, Naruto could see no worse an emergency than the one he was currently in. They had left the money in a cute little frog (piggy) bank hidden behind the toilet in the restroom. Again with soft steps he moved towards the restroom, terribly out of his mind and a bubbling of _something_ within him that he was afraid he wouldn't be able to hold back for much longer.

He retrieved the frog-bank and took out the money. He refused to count it until he was long gone from the city, but at quick glance he was assured that their was enough for him to buy a ticket out and eat and sleep well for about three weeks if he were to take extravagances. The whole of the money was mostly Sasuke's, but it was a quiet sort of payback for what had been going between him and Sakura. Besides, he wasn't going to take anything away from the house either, just himself. With renewed vigor he walked out of the home, leaving his backpack, his clothes, his ramen, his love, and his life in one decision. (One had already been made before his, though.)

At least the night decided to be kind. It was quite nice to be walking about Tokyo at times like these. The lights made him tingle with excitement and sort of hyper. The multitude of people surrounding him contrasted with the loneliness he felt and drunk cries of either sadness or merriment lent to the momentary touch of humanity he now longer for. Naruto had never so fervently searched for an answer to a problem he had faced. His thought process was simple, everything was possible, so ganbatte! If it were so easy now to repeat those words...

Maybe they were, it had never failed him before. There he stood in front of an old shop with supposed American goods. And with the moderate English he had gained in all his schooling and Sasuke's insistence, he was able to read -

"_Go west, young man."_

There couldn't have been a clearer answer if God himself stood there beckoning him to read.

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West of Japan was China. That was Naruto's first stop. It was a weird place, a strange mixture of communism and capitalism. Where he stood out like a pimple, but was pointedly ignored. The land was rough and worked by the best people Naruto had ever met. The food was weird, but he learned not to ask what was in it (not that he could, for the life of him, both mandarin and cantonese were hard!) He took a job that payed well enough for his stay there, which by now he settled on staying in each country he visited no more than four months (making that at least three countries every year.) And made a cool friend by the name of Rock Lee, who reminded Naruto of Bruce Lee.

Lee in his quirkiness guided Naruto through China in a way only Lee could. With bouts of joy and good humor and a love for martial arts. Naruto learned a lot of good fighting tips in his company.

Four months passed and Lee waved goodbye with tears in his eyes as Naruto took flight again, to Russia. He almost regretted going there, it was cold as hell! But there was a deep romanticism there that he couldn't ignore, and the hope the people held beside their situation was infectious. He met a girl named Temari in Moscow, and spent most of the time trailing her around, as she was a reporter for the national news network. By some default (and his earlier dalliances in the field of media) he became her camera man, an annoyed her to the best of his abilities. When the camera was off, she spoke of the country with a love that made the endless snow about them enjoyable. He left with a scolding on her part to take better care of himself (he had been sick most of the time there) and the addresses of the homes of her two other brothers in Saudi Arabia, if he ever happened by.

With a reassurance that he would, he left for the middle east. With his connections to Temari, he met Gaara and Kankuro – also reporter themselves – and went cruising around to the most remote places Naruto could ever imagine himself being at. The cultures in the area were stuff he had read about in fiction, and it was all majestic to him. A vast dessert, the ocean, the religion. It became hazy in his mind and he loved it. He spent years there before he crossed Palestine into India.

India reminded him of China, of course, there were many influences that had gone on between both cultures, or so Naruto had read in a history book he had paid half attention to back in high school. He was now nearing twenty-nine and hoping for more stable company. He had hoped to find that in Neji, an up an coming entrepreneur, a breed that was slowly rising in India. But due to a few problems with his cousin, Hinata, he left both his and Neji's friendship at that. He held amicable feelings towards them in the end, and a hell of a lot of hindu teachings when he took his leave for Europe.

Naruto had to admit that Europe bored the hell out of him most of the time. There were cool parts, like running with the bulls in Spain alongside a man named Shikamaru (who didn't do much running and traveled with Naruto for the latter half of his world trip,) the beaches of southern France, historical landmarks and the autobahn in Germany, and a few castles in England. Both he and Shikamaru befriended a group of backpackers in Italy who had spontanously decided to also travel west. Now with Tenten, Chouji, Ino, Kiba, a dog named Akamaru, Shino, and Sai, they went to Africa. They joined a peace organization and went from country to country aiding refugees, the poor, the sick, and the children, while admiring the many faces the land held before them. At some points they saw the pyraminds of Egypt, burgeoning towns, ancient tribes, lions and cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, and an immense amount of mosquitoes. Those were the most annoying.

While in the last leg of their travels through Africa, in South Africa, they flew over the big pond to Brazil. Naruto danced his troubles away with his friends during the many carnivals, and basked in the beached of Rio. They went up to visit the Christo, and admired the voluptuous ladies. They all fell into the spell of soccer, and hated the underdeveloped roads. Sai and Shino stayed behind when it came time to leave, stating they both wished to travel around the amazon. With heartfelt goodbyes, it was north for the now dubbed Naruto crew into central america. They encountered the mysticism behind the puzzling Mayan culture and its current decedents. Since they were running terribly low on cash, their diet consisted of mostly beens, which was apparently abundant everywhere they went.

And tortillas. Their entrance to Mexico from the south took them up the Mayan reverie into Cancun. Naruto, always being one for fun and mischievousness, suggested they visit the mummy's and haunted ruins to the west of the country. What they mostly found was tequila, which was a great beverage to drink and cry your most tragic memories away with. Or so the mariachi suggested. After having Tenten lurch most of her food back for a couple of days thanks to the questionable water they drank, it was again north into what now fifteen amazing years later was Naruto's last planned stop before heading west back to Japan; America. Nearing forty, tired, and finally having his entire life catch up with him since that night in Tokyo with that sign, and Sasuke and Sakura, Naruto only lived in Los Angeles for the alloted four months he allowed himself in any country. Tenten going on with her travels with Kiba and Akamaru and Chouji. Shikamaru and Ino settled in L.A. with Naruto and toured the California valleys while time passed unhindered.

In the time all his friends spent with Naruto, they never really knew why he was so determined to see the world. He had spoken little of Japan and his hometown or his family other than to say that he belonged to wandering with no purpose. Ino had gotten another few tid-bits out of him in Mexico thanks to the tequila, but only surmised that this Sasuke person Naruto cried over and over for had betrayed him. She assumed that "Sasuke" was Naruto's old love, or something to that nature. In any case, Japan held a lot of fearsome prospects for Naruto, she could tell. It irked her as well, for she had only ever seen a happy, funny, excited Naruto. This new emotion flickering in his eyes made her uncomfortable.

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Naruto had accumulated a plethora of suitcases and luggage for every little thing he had bought or received or taken from his world trip. In fact, he had left some of his things behind with Shikamaru at his house, promising to come back one day for them. Both he and Ino stood with Naruto at the LAX (Los Angeles Airport) until life called and they had to go to work.

Ino made sure he would call them often, and she'd try to find out what happened with everyone else they had run around with. Shikamaru gave him a "troublesome" and patted his shoulder. They spoke no words and quietly waved what Naruto hoped would be his last farewell. When out of sight, he sat down in an uncomfortable plastic black chair and contemplated his life. What place better than the airport to come to terms with your misgivings? Ruminating about sweet and sour moments, and his now ever wrinkly visage (hey, he was pushing forty) he felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning, was the last person he'd ever think he'd see again. His old professor, Kakashi.

"I can never forgot your scraggly hair, no matter how old I get, Naruto."

"EHHH! It's you! Kakashi-sensei! What a damn coincidence! What are you doing here?"

"You left abruptly for fifteen years and that's all you have to say? Maa maa sit down, here, I was at a seminar, I'm heading back home to New York, that's were I live now."

"Oh wow, really? How long ago did you move there?"

"About six years ago. But where have you been, eh Naruto?"

"Well, I've been everywhere. I've backpacked the world! My last stop was here, before heading back home..."

"Really? There Naruto, and here my guess was that you had died," he received a punch from his former student, "Eheh, kidding. But when I last saw Sasuke was at a Ramen stand. And he assured me you weren't dead. He had seen you on Tv, he said. You were somewhere in Africa doing god knows what and helping all the people. That was of course, years ago. That kid, he missed you."

"God, Africa was... Sasuke... you know, I'm not gonna go visit him."

"Oh? Pray, what happened? One day your acing my class, the next Sakura is crying over asking for your forgiveness. And Sasuke... whew that kid didn't know what was going on. He was certainly out of it. I'm guessing they both did something they shouldn't have."

Naruto looked down at his sneakers. They were untied, but he liked it that way. It was a symbol of youth for him. He'd never grow up, "Or maybe they did do something they should have done long before I came into their lives."

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To be continued...

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**The longest chapter I've ever written, I think. Eh, well, please review! If you don't I might think it's all crap and bad and not continue!**

**REVIEWWWWWW! cries**

**-Take care  
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	2. Inadequate Replacement

**I was sick today, and something told me to write. Here, you see some strings tying back. And what happened to Sasuke.**

**(Hint! He went a little crazy...)**

**ALSO! I need a beta! Interested? Please send me a message or something. You wont be overworked, 'cause I type up stuff on a whim, and I'm not a terrible writer either. I just want double-checking and stuff. Enjoy!**

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**_Chapter 2_****_ - _****_Inadequate Replacement_****  
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The young blond man he had hired for the night had just left. His heavy scent transgressed the quaint and old room, making Sasuke wince. Next time, he'd make sure his escort didn't smell as strong.

Although this time the illusion was almost perfect. After he had ordered the man to draw three fine lines across each of his cheeks, Sasuke had set out to make ramen and have him eat it. And oh when he did! It was almost like Naruto was there again.

After the sex, the young prostitute picked out his payment from Sasuke's wallet, dressed, and left. Not without first leaving his number though. Those things on his cheeks and the ramen and being called "Naruto" might have been pretty weird, but the pay was great, and really this was the least kinky fetish he had come across that didn't involve him fearing for his life.

He wished all his _employers_ were just as regretful of wronging old loves.

Well, the night was still young, and maybe somewhere out there, he could find another longing soul to soothe. If only for that night.

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9:13 p.m. and Sakura tucked in her children. She gave them a kiss on each of their foreheads (there were three) while Lee jovially wished them a good night. Such a hassle in her home to do anything along the lines of normal.

She turned off the light and closed their door softly. Lee ran to their room to change into his own pj's. Smiling, she walked to the kitchen to clean the dishes left from their little private birthday party for their youngest. There was a window right above the sink that she could see outside of. Right across lived Sasuke, now and old friend of hers. Her previous smile faltered when she noticed shiny golden hair and a fit body leave the house.

She missed Naruto too.

Lee had been unusually quiet when he advanced toward the sink to help Sakura. He could see the shadow as well.

"How long? Fifteen years?"

"I lost count a long time ago. I'd rather think a year passed by. It hurts less."

"He decided to leave, Sakura. He did."

"I know, but why? Because of me, that's why. Because Naruto was pushed. Because it was my fault."

Lee didn't utter a word. He didn't have anything to contradict Sakura. It was true, it was her fault, but it was also Sasuke's. And to be going around hiring prostitutes to substitute the one you lost was wrong in his book. Why cheat then? Why hurt someone you would give anything to have in your life forever? It just never made sense to him.

And he never wanted it to, either.

"Tell me again, how you both met in China, tell me how happy he was again."

Lee sighed. He knew about what had happened. How that blond guy he met long back in Hong Kong was best friends with his now wife (whom he had met in a hospital when he broke a rib in Beijing. She was finishing her internship there.) She had told him everything. He had told her everything. The puzzle pieces behind why Naruto was running and running.

"I love you."

Sakura wondered if Sasuke had ever told Naruto that.

Again, Lee and Sakura fell asleep to the story of a dumb kid who held too much happiness and pain.

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The next morning, Sasuke got up at seven, took a bath, made himself breakfast, and drove to work (a law firm in the west part of the city.) In his office, a tan dishwater blond with green eyes sat ready to read him his busy planner and take down notes. For the most part, he was dressed casually (as he had been told to do so, in contrast to all the other assistants' formal look,) and wore a bright orange shirt. He noticed that Sasuke avoided looking at his eyes.

"Today you have a meeting with the mayor Ms. Tsunade, at one fifteen." Sasuke flinched but nodded in grim understanding, "Right after, at two thirty, we have a luncheon with Hebi Ltd. Concerning the recent contract made," the secretary shifted in the leather seat, he knew Sasuke hated having any kind of contact with Hebi other than needed. Karin (a sharp-witted lawyer) always bothered him.

"For the rest of the afternoon, you have scheduled to be left alone in your office to work on the Orochimaru case." Sasuke 'hn'-ed at him and waved him off. He rubbed his temples after a rather harsh headache when Hebi had been mentioned. He opened his desk drawer and took out some aspirin. After swallowing it dry, he returned the bottle and took out a small journal. In there he reached into one of the many folds for Naruto's picture.

He was smiling brightly at the camera as he held up an orange tomcat. Sasuke remembered that, when Naruto found the little guy rummaging through their trash one day. It had to be a month before he had left. Sasuke had taken the picture on Naruto's insistence. The guy was going for a photography major, he liked to take and have pictures taken.

All the pictures were up somewhere in the attic of a home that had not witnessed their perfect moments. Just Sasuke's screwed up version of life.

He kept this picture because it was the last time he saw Naruto truly smile like that at him. If he had known...

The files for the case he was working on piled higher than his head. Taking one from the highest point, he opened it, and began reading on the criminal history and charges made against his client. His old teacher, Orochimaru.

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"Neji, I think you shou-should take it, and maybe you'll see him – "

"Hinata, really, don't do this. I know your feelings for Naruto and – "

"N-no! It's you he liked more. And I've de-decided that there's other pe-ople I can you know..."

"Hn."

"D-don't look at me l-like that! I just want you to-to be happy."

It's very rare to see Neji smile. And whatever you do to get it is worth it.

"And if he's not there?"

"He-he is! I know because an old fr-friend of mine told me s-so,"

"Oh?"

"Do y-you remember Shikamaru?"

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"Aah. What a pair of dummies. See, I always knew you were truly the smart one in that group."

"LIAR! You doubted me right from the beginning! And you always preferred Sasuke over me." Naruto smiled a bit at his old teacher. These memories so long back...

"Naruto, Naruto. Never question genius. It was all part of a bigger plan. If those two hadn't cheated your loyalty, your friendship, it would've worked out, I swear." Kakashi's eyes that beforehand were lit with humor softened in. It really was going so well, Naruto really was learning something worthwhile, something he loved. It would have been perfect. They would have been his greatest students. It was all supposed to be so much more different than this. He guessed it had been his fault, though. He began questioning Sasuke's goals, Sasuke's ambitions, pushing him to want more than a simple life with Naruto.

He had introduced Sasuke to Sakura, another of his supposed protégés.

"Kakashi-sensei?"

"Hmmm?"

"I have to go, that was my flight they called."

"Oh. Well, darn. Keep in touch? You ever coming back to America?"

"Maybe."

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**SO!?!?!? What's gonna happen next? Oh dear me, I've written myself into a little triangle, it seems. But where do Naruto's true emotions lie? This poor soul is talking nonsense.**

**Review? Hark! It means so much to me! (What?)**


	3. Come What May

**I have to apologize to everyone who was waiting for this, how crappy it is, and also how short it came out. But by the end I felt like I was forcing myself.**

**Thank you for sticking with me and being so patient. Hopefully I will find the need to write the next chapter soon as well.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto.**

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_**Chapter 3 - Come What May**_

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One reason (of the many he had) for hating Japan was the fact that it took _forever_ to get there. Naruto had never been a patient person and airliners seemed to cater to only those who were. Nevertheless, here he was finally, at the terminal and completely alarmed. This wasn't the place he remembered at all. But damn if it wasn't exciting! If there was anything to love of Japan, it was it's ever-changing face. And the ridiculous prices! He had forgotten how much a cab drive was. He was planning to stay at his old house in Kyoto, so he needed to catch the train quick. Unfortunately, if he spent money on the cab he wouldn't have enough for the train ticket.

While mulling over this little dilemma, Neji had also just arrived from his equally laborious trip from India. First he was to settle himself at some hotel and then promptly meet with his new business partners over lunch with his newly hired (and terribly pricey) lawyer. They were to trifle through the finer points of their contract. Surely then he would set out to find his fate.

But Neji should have known, he should have seen this coming. How could he relegate fate to a mere second in his list of priorities? For there in the light of the shining sun was his shining sun, the one and only Naruto chewing his lips and seemingly in deep thought. There were too many coincidences in life for this to be one of them. He knew – god did he know! – that fate should always be first. If only to avoid the palpitations his heart seemed to go through at that very moment.

And time had been good to Naruto. Had it been eleven or twelve years – he wasn't certain – since last those eyes looked directly at him? Their beauty was still unmatched. And the more steps he took towards his destiny (for whatever little doubt Naruto had implanted in his head about this fickle philosophy were blown out of his brain) he could finer see the thin lines age painted across each and every human entering maturity. They weren't much unlike his own, but they did not hinder the simplistic beauty behind the enigma called Naruto. There when the sun rose high in the sky did the sky turn to give him one very surprised look.

"Neji? Oh shit!"

"Uzumaki. It's been a while, has it not?" He didn't know how he did it, but goddamn he sounded cool. More so than he felt inside.

"Fucking too long! Oh my - " Naruto rushed him like a line backer, hugging him tightly like he had always dreamed he would.

For sure Hebi and the Uchiha could wait, right? Fate would never again be number two.

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"Gah...ahh... Naruto..." was all his boss would whisper into his ear as the rhythm to their fuck (it wasn't love for him, for the name being called wasn't his own) was getting more intense, more sharp, more hungry. It felt good, it felt great. Just one of the few perks to this little secretary duty, good pay and good fucking. But being bent at that angle on the mahogany table hurt a little, even when Sasuke's soft hands rubbed the painful spots over and over again, whispering his love to another person. Anytime soon and they would both be done and sated. He could return to faxing and Sasuke would take the cab uptown to continue his business. This was stress relief.

And there... there! Right there! The last pants of passion spilled forth from both their lips and floated about the office, taking up space.

"Next time, ahah... next time dye your hair... a lighter shade. This color disgusts me." So Sasuke peeled himself off his secretary, cleaned himself with some nearby tissue, picked up his pants and quickly made himself presentable again. It was like magic to him, how his boss pulled that look so rapidly. Completely avoiding looking back at him, Sasuke left the office and himself to their own devices. As soon as he had picked up his jeans the phone rang, "Hello, this is the law offices of Uchiha, Sasuke. How may I be of service?" he got that out perfectly. He really was good, because mentally he was all goo.

"Is Sasuke there to speak with?"

"Unless you have some appointment with him or something, you can't speak with him."

"Ah well, that's just like Sasuke. Please tell him his cousin called and will be heading to Japan shortly."

"And your name, sir?"

"Sai."

"I'll be sure to inform him." He hung up. He looked all over Sasuke's desk for a sticky note or something to write it down. He opened all the drawers until he saw a picture laying there. Of a boy, probably no older than 20 that looked so much like him.

This must be Naruto.

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Sasuke supposed there was an extremely good reason as to why Neji was late. As in, he must be in a damn coma. And it irritated him that he could do nothing about it. After all Neji payed him beautifully, one of his best customers, and if he sealed this deal with Hebi then other even more lucrative businesses might ask for his guidance. And yet he began to wonder if sitting here with the freaks was worth it all. The way Karin looked at him made him want to lurch back out the bit of whiskey he had earlier. Suigetsu was just "checking out some ass" as he eloquently put it when he would not stop flirting with the waiter (he was a brunette, not Sasuke's cup of tea). And Juugo just idly sat, not very much at all interested.

As if to give Sasuke a break his cell phone rang lightly. He excused himself from the table and headed to the restrooms. Noticing it was Hyuuga's number he quickly answered, "Not to be rude, but I'm not going to wait any longer for you with these freaks."

"Listen I got caught up with an old... interest of mine. He is coming to join us."

"Get here in five."

"We'll see." Neji hung up and Sasuke put away his phone. As he wandered back to their table he ordered some scotch, maybe with a buzz it would all be more tolerable.

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"Neji really you can just drop me off at the station. I'll call you sometime so you can visit me, you don't have to bother..."

"No. You'll come, give you something to eat. Once I'm done we can head over to your house. You can show me Japan like I traveled with you through India."

Neji gave that intense glare that had Naruto, a fully grown an mature man, blushing madly. He was handsome, always had been. Even those really gray eyes that were sort of freaky made him shiver with_ something_. It was nice to see an old friend anyways. And maybe this time would born something a little more fruitful and enticing than just a friendship.

Naruto slid further into the cab and watched Tokyo flash by in dull colors. Exactly opposite of last time.

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**Again Thank you! Please kindly review, and I hope to get the next up soon.**

**Questions: Yes, I will have many of the characters return (as you can see) and much drama will abound!**


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